Chương 65: Chapter 2

"Sounds like a good plan," Bri agreed. She tore off one of the turkey's legs, the cast around her injured arm getting filthy as she pinned the bird down with it.

"And given how nasty Amethyst magic can be, having some protection against it would be great."

"It's not as good as you think," Shepherd added, spearing some more turkey for themself.

"The spectral blade only interferes with spirits, but it becomes less and less effective the stronger your opponent's spirit is in relation to yours. That means powerful mages, spawn, Urs, Titans, and fully spiritual beings don't feel more than a tickle."

"Can't you just push more aether into the spell to overcome that?" Shaya asked, reaching across the table to tear off the final turkey leg.

"Certainly," Shepherd nodded, "but it's not a simple spell and the diminishing returns add up quickly. Such as not wanting to get close to a powerful mage, Titan, or other threat."

"Makes sense," Shaya said, thinking over her next question while chewing on some succulent turkey.

"So Shep, where did those moves come from yesterday? I've never seen you fight like that before."

"Ah, it's one of the fields Teiash and I specialize in: psychometry," Shepherd said, knife-thin smile on their face.

"Every object has spiritual energy associated with it. While most objects never grow strong enough to reflect in the Aetherium, some do if they earn stories of their own. My weapon is a staff of office within Vynderwynd's church, passed down from acolyte to acolyte to ensure its legacy continues. With my psychometric magic, I can pull on the weapon's spirit to fight with the skills of my predecessors."

"That," Bri said, eyes wide, "is so cool!"

"Can you do something similar, Oraeus?" Shaya said, facing across the table to him.

"The sword you carried into battle yesterday looked quite impressive—were those constellations etched into the blade?"

"Ah…yes," Oraeus said, averting his gaze.

"I could use psychometry with the blade, but it is more complicated than what Shepherd made it out to be. Psychometry draws all memories and experience from the object's spirit. In my case, the blade I wield was my older brother's, and sifting through everything is…difficult for me."

"Oh, I understand," Shaya said, not pushing any further. It was rare to see Oraeus in such a defensive state, she wondered if he had lost his brother. She turned back to Shepherd to give Oraeus some space.

"I had never considered the other applications of Amethyst magic—it stars in so many stories as a villainous magic that I guess I didn't think much further on it."

"Amethyst magic is far more than something that can destroy souls or lay them to rest," Shepherd said, puffing up with pride.

"Aether is spiritual energy, so Amethyst spells can manipulate it to a degree."

"For instance," Oraeus picked up, while Shepherd chomped on a crispy salad with nuts and berries in it. The more academic subject helped him force aside his malaise, and he spoke with his usual deadpan confidence, "…while your Amber magic can defend against spells as they come in, Amethyst magic can channel entropic energy into ongoing spell effects to end the spells prematurely. That's one of my specialties."

"Ending prematurely?" Ren grinned.

"That's normally not something you announce, buddy." Blood rushed to Oraeus' face faster than a volcanic eruption, turning even his obsidian skin red. The table broke into laughter, even Samorn and Shepherd dragged in by the low-brow humour.

"Thank you for sharing, Oraeus," Shaya said.

"No, really, thank you for trusting us with more information. The more we know about each other's abilities, the better we can plan and work together."

"Well," Oraeus said, reining in his embarrassment and clearing his throat, "along those lines, there is something else I wish to mention. I am… also a trichromat—I can channel Azurite magic, though it is not something I am practiced at." He's my complete opposite on the spectrum, Shaya mused. That explains why we clash often, though I'm glad he's opening up enough to work with us.

"That's incredible," Shaya said, grinning.

"I'm a little surprised you can muster the empathy to draw Azurite," Ren commented, earning another disapproving bat on the shoulder from Samorn.

"It is alright, Samorn," Oraeus said.

"He is right: it does not come naturally to me, which is why I have not focused my efforts on learning Azurite runes."

"It's not just empathy," Samorn said, finishing her small salad and setting her utensils down like they were at a royal banquet.

"It can also come from a sense of curiosity or understanding."

"In any case," Shaya said, smiling at her friends, "I think we should book more practice sessions, so we can keep learning about each other's abilities and how we can synergize our abilities. I think that deployment served as a rude awakening to a lot of people, so the practice chambers are going to be booked up fast."

"Agreed," Bri said, frowning down at her injured arm.

"I don't want to hold you folks back again."

"Nonsense," Shaya said, squeezing her shoulder.

"I wasn't kidding when I said you did great out there. You got us through a ton of encounters that would have been a lot more taxing on us if not for your ability to burn through anything with your Ruby magic. If anything, your injury is my fault for not being clear about where the enemy was coming from as were engaging them." Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

"Oh, no you don't," Bri glared at her, "you don't get to apologize for anything else tonight!"

"Fiiiine," Shaya relented, "just don't beat yourself up about it, is all I'm trying to say." Everyone at the table stared at her.

"W-what?" she stammered.

"You're one to talk," Shep explained, cocking their head at her. It was Shaya's turn to blush and pout while the table laughed, even Oraeus emitting something akin to a chuckle.

"Maybe we should practice with Apricot or other Lances too," Shaya suggested, mind racing with new possibilities as a way to escape the embarrassment.

"We could learn a lot about larger scale coordination!"

"Oh, wow." Bri crossed her arms in front of her.

"You're really just trying to replace me now, huh?"

"No!" Shaya looked to her, eyes wide in alarm.

"Not at all—wait, you're not going to let me apologize but you're going to beat me over the head with it anyway?"

"Damn right." Bri's scowl turned into a grin. A sense of relief flowed through Shaya at her friend's grin. She was worried Bri would never forgive her, especially when she found out how the mission had ended.

"While there are limited spaces to book for team training," Oraeus offered, "plenty more exist for sparring, which may serve us well." Shaya wrinkled her nose at the thought.

"I'm here to learn to put down monsters and fight wars, not play at duellist. Those are the bad habits that Auric is trying to break in a number of students in our Combat Foundations class." Oraeus shook his head in disapproval.

"You're still thinking like a peasant," he said.

"I do not mean to merely test our martial skills, but train against one another's magic. Learning to defend against Samorn's mental intrusions or Briariel's evocations could be invaluable, as even Titan-spawn can replicate similar powers."

"Oh," Shaya replied, feeling a little ashamed at her sharp reply.

"Sorry, you're right, I could see how that would be helpful."

"Think nothing of it," Oraeus replied, but Shaya could see the annoyance in his brimstone eyes.

"Alright, alright," Ren cut in again, "enough business, what should we toast next?"

"To Shaya's ascension to Second Circle?" Bri said, nodding at the bronze amulet around Shaya's neck. Oraeus dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand.

"She was already operating at the level of a Second Circle mage."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Shaya replied flatly.

"Though," he continued after his brow knit in thought, "have you taken an affinity test recently?"

"No, but I think I've felt out my esper's affinities already."

"A formal test could confirm what you've 'felt' out," the tall man insisted, "and would prove helpful in focusing your growth."

"Maybe," Shaya replied, giving it some serious consideration. Then she grinned as an idea formed, returning to the feast's original intent of relaxing as she raised her goblet: "How about we toast to Azreon's departure?"

"To Azreon's departure!" everyone echoed, laughing as more wine spilled over the table. Even Quill joined in with an exuberant and pleased screech, unable to keep his volume in check. He gave an apologetic and quiet wark when Ren and Shaya shot him a pained wince, their demigol-enhanced senses extra sensitive to the gryphlet going at full blast while indoors.

"It's okay, little guy," Shaya said, scratching his head and loving how his golden feathers fluffed out in pleasure at the attention.

"No one can blame you for being just as happy to see that nasty noble gone." Shaya had no doubt that plenty of their peers beyond their room were celebrating the same thing, given the highborn's attitude problems. A knock on the door interrupted the group's merriment, putting to an end the expressions of enthusiasm for Azreon's expulsion.

"I'll get it," Shaya said, closest to the door. Long legs carried her to the entrance of their home in short order, her friends continuing to chatter away behind her. Shaya had just enough wherewithal to wipe the grease from her hands on a napkin before opening the door. She looked down at their visitor in surprise. Una looked up at her, the short, scrappy woman's arms crossed in front of her chest and eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Hey," Shaya said, stepping back and gesturing into the apartment.

"Want to come in?"

"No thanks," Una said.

"I won't be long. Six days from now, noon-time at the Five Rings."

"You think you'll be recovered that soon?" Shaya asked, eyebrow quirked down at her opponent. Una's eyes were still bloodshot, with tendrils of Jade snaking through her pupils. There was a slight quiver to her movements, her muscles still recovering from how hard she pushed them past their limits magically yesterday.

"You're the one who's purple from falling off a Titan, dumbass." Una jabbed a finger into Shaya's chest.

"Worry about yourself, and don't chicken out." The reminder made Shaya's joints ache. Her rage had let her fight through the worst of it, but she had definitely bruised more than just her skin. Bari said she had multiple hairline fractures throughout her body from the force of the collision and that it did a number on her ligaments as well.

"If you insist," Shaya sighed.

"But if you can't satisfy me at this duel, I'll expect a rematch for when you're properly healed."

"Bitch, please," Una said. She turned to walk away, then stopped.

"Do you actually think he's gone?"

"No," Shaya said, knowing which "he" she was talking about.

"He'll weasel out of the worst of it. They're going to suspend him for a short period to make an example of him, then put him back into classes due to good behaviour or some nonsense. Either way though: his reign is over, Una." Her shoulders slumped; she'd probably wanted to hear something more damning than that.

"We'll see. Don't be late to the fight, I'm a busy person." She walked away. Shaya's Lance looked up at her as she returned to the table.

"What?"

"Shaya," Shepherd said, "the Five Rings is a public duelling ground. There will be spectators."

"Well then," she replied, "I hope they enjoy the show." Shaya coughed after a moment.

"Am I really that purple right now? I, uh, hoped it would've gone down since the morning."

"Oh yeah," Bri said, "it definitely didn't. You're the most ridiculous-looking Titan Slayer ever."